Perkins Eastman DC’s Post

Gensler’s Robert B Bradford, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB and Hannah Sargent,AIA say that schools are critical spaces that shape the students that learn within their walls and they’re right. With over 15,000 hours spent in school over an academic lifetime, educational spaces are paramount to student success. Join Rob and Hannah as they explore what considerations are necessary in repurposing stranded assets for educational institutions. https://bit.ly/3J0uTAv

Why consider adaptive reuse of existing educational facilities? --> Maximize resources/minimize cost --> Sustainable solutions for long-term viability --> Flexibility to meet changing needs --> Preserving heritage while fostering identity --> Community engagement & collaboration #BuildingABetterWorld #K12 #HigherEd #construction

The Washington Post spoke to UCLA Luskin’s V. Kelly Turner, associate director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, about a new push to turn asphalt schoolyards into greener spaces that provide cooling relief at a time of rising temperatures. Read about this and more media coverage.. #UCLALuskin UCLA #UCLA #climate #heat #urbanplanning

On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we pause to reflect on the history of the residential school system. Today, we honour the resilience of survivors, remember the children who never came home, and reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation. In the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction field, the spaces we design, build, and manage directly impact the communities we serve. We hold a responsibility to ensure our practices are inclusive, respectful, and aligned with the principles of reconciliation. At WalterFedy, we are committed to active allyship—whether through continuous learning, integrating Indigenous knowledge into our projects, or supporting initiatives like our Indigenous Engineering Scholarship at the University of Guelph. This scholarship is just one step towards empowering the next generation of Indigenous leaders in architecture and engineering. Today, let’s reflect on how we can strengthen our allyship, challenge inequities, and hold ourselves accountable to building a future where all communities thrive. #NDTR #TruthAndReconciliation #EveryChildMatters #Allyship

#HarvardClimateActionWeek – Day 4: Buildings and Heat As climate change intensifies, heat waves are becoming more intense, frequent, and prolonged. However, many buildings were not initially designed for scorching temperatures. Evidence of this was seen last summer when high temperatures interrupted the school year and forced schools to close. Research shows that hot classrooms lacking adequate air conditioning have detrimental effects on students’ and teachers’ health and performance. As the climate continues to change, facilities must adapt accordingly, requiring substantial investments in school infrastructure. Last month, our director, Joseph Allen, joined the White House Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 School Buildings and Grounds and shared his insights in the following blog post: https://lnkd.in/e2nxT2UN Already in his 2022 op-ed for The Washington Post, he underlined the urgency of addressing the decades of neglect in school infrastructure, emphasizing the critical need for immediate action: https://lnkd.in/gTRYXTeQ

From an overcrowded challenge to a sustainable, forward-thinking solution, the transformation of Parkway School District’s McKelvey Primary Center (Parkway Schools) makes for an inspiring case study of collaboration for high performance design. Functional multi-purpose spaces were a priority for the District and our detailed evaluation of existing facilities and programmatic requirements helped them apply this vision. Four additional classrooms and three additional special education classrooms were added to the original project, including a future-proof design to accommodate expansion. In our shared mission to improve academic performance, we agreed on measures to improve comfort for end users of the building like students, faculty and staff, alongside conserving energy and reducing life-cycle costs. We also made sure that project met the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings whenever possible on the existing building and as a minimum requirement on all new additions. #fgma #pk12 #elementaryschools #ParkwayProud #StLArchitecture #StLSchools #WeBuildCommunity

There are so many reasons to volunteer with ULI San Diego-Tijuana's Urban Plan program: 1. Kids these days! (you will be surprised, I promise,) 2. You've always wanted to be a Mayor or City Councilperson, 3. The integrated masterplanning and financial modeling might just teach even the most seasoned professional a few things about real estate development while encouraging young people to pursue a career in equitable and profitable land development!

"Where there's a sustainable environment, where there's energy consciousness, there is good health." — Gaurav Khadse, Vice President of Facilities Planning and Development at Texas Children's Hospital. When Texas Children's Hospital, one of the leading pediatric hospitals in America, decided to expand its footprint into the Central Texas market with its North Austin Campus, it had a goal of achieving a two-star rating under the Austin Energy Green Building program (AEGB) -- a precursor to the LEED rating system. Not only did this project achieve that goal, it exceeded it. The campus earned a 3-star rating by harnessing innovative technologies, including recycling condensate water for landscape irrigation, a landscape design that honors Central Texas ecology, efficient electrical and plumbing fixtures, and a larger retention wet pond. We are proud of the collaborative work that went into this project, helping Texas Children's achieve their goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 while providing world-class care to children, women, and families. #CuratingCare #PediatricHospitalDesign #HealthcareArchitecture #TexasChildrensATX #DesignThatMakesLivesBetter

My latest story, linked below, is about the awesome experience our urban and regional planning master's students got for their capstone course during the most recent academic year — helping with the creation of a new community redevelopment master plan for a Central Florida city!

Excellent read on 'Advancing Stormwater Capture for Greener Schools in Los Angeles' by Sonali A., Morgan Shimabuku, and Shannon Spurlock at Pacific Institute. The total stormwater runoff generated from 1,888 LA County public school campuses is approximately 3.15 billion gallons. About 2.04 billion gallons per year could potentially be captured by school greening, preventing approximately 1,220 tons of pollutants from entering local waterways and the ocean each year. School greening not only helps manage stormwater coming from school campuses, it also builds more resilient communities by mitigating urban heat island effects, decreasing localized flooding, and improving water quality. And good to see Amigos De Los Rios' and Earth Economics study on the benefits of school greening referenced! https://lnkd.in/gJcsJ9AR https://lnkd.in/gYtmkbpC